


Tense Conversations Over Chocolate Frogs

by Humanity_Sucks2002



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Andromeda does not like what she sees, Bellamort is implied, Bellatrix has a god complex, Chatting and Chocolate, Gen, Oneshot, POV Andromeda Black Tonks, Pre-Canon, Pre-First War with Voldemort, Sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:09:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29546334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Humanity_Sucks2002/pseuds/Humanity_Sucks2002
Summary: Andromeda Black was not enjoying the Easter holidays.
Relationships: Bellatrix Black Lestrange & Andromeda Black Tonks, Bellatrix Black Lestrange/Voldemort
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	Tense Conversations Over Chocolate Frogs

Andromeda Black was not enjoying the Easter holidays. 

It wasn't a holiday she cared for to begin with - it was the disappointing relative of the holiday world. She didn’t believe in god, so there was no need for her to celebrate the resurrection. The non-religious parts of the holiday were dull. There was the stupid Rosier egg hunt they had to attend. Her uncle Marcellus Rosier (her mother's brother) was hosting and it was expected. Then there were all the other pure blood society events that Andromeda dreaded being a part of. Torture.

Aside from that, Andromeda's family was not helping things. 

Narcissa was spending all hours writing to and receiving letters from Lucius Malfoy, talking about him, drawing the two of them getting married etc. She was acting like a heroine from a shitty romantic novel, humming love ballads and springing around the garden in a flowy white dress. It was nauseating! 

It was made even worse because their mother was very loudly talking about how _wonderful_ a match between the two of them would be. How _delightful_ the joining of the House of Black and House of Malfoy would be. Andromeda had been sent to her room for loudly reminding her mother that both Lucius and Narcissa were fourteen, and this was a premature reaction. She did not regret it.

Her father was getting on her case about everything, specifically Ted Tonks. Snippy comments, checking her mail (he wouldn't find anything, her friends and Ted knew not to write to her at home) and overall, just being generally unpleasant to be around. Her mother would normally have been the same, but she had been distracted by Narcissa – so that was one plus to the situation.

And Bellatrix, well, Andromeda was worried about Bellatrix. She was acting...oddly...like she was hiding something. Since her sister had left Hogwarts the year before, she'd been working as a 'secretary' for Abraxas Malfoy. Andromeda did not think this was the case, mainly because Bellatrix had spent her last year of Hogwarts talking about how secretarial work was beneath her, yet as soon as she left the school that was what she was doing. It just didn’t feel right.

Andromeda’s first thought was that Bellatrix was Abraxas’ mistress, she did not put it past her, but she had to throw that idea out. Abraxas – as it turned out – was not at all interested in women. But Bellatrix was definitely going to Malfoy manor every day she was scheduled to work, so it had to have something to do with him. Exactly what it was...well, Andromeda needed to keep digging.

She had a terrible feeling that it was something to do with that mysterious ‘Lord Voldemort’ people had been speaking about, but she had no solid evidence to link them together, and Andromeda wasn’t yet sure whether the man actually existed or if he was just an urban legend being spread around the blood purist circles. Either one wasn’t good.

So, there Andromeda was, sitting in her bedroom. It was moments after she’d been sent upstairs by her mother, and she was not very happy about it. Why should she be punished for being right? And she was RIGHT! It was **weird** for her mother to be trying to plan the future of two fourteen-year-olds, who had been dating for two weeks! Two bloody weeks! Andromeda sat at her mirror, brushing through her hair with a scowl, making herself angrier and angrier as she thought about the argument.

She was absorbed in her memory, muttering to herself and trying to think of the perfect comebacks to anything her mother would say when there was a knock on her window. It made Andromeda jump, and swear, and spin around to face the noise like she’d been caught with her hand in the biscuit tin.

Bellatrix’s face was pressed up against her window. She was a freakishly pale face staring out of the inky blackness and the sight of her terrified Andromeda to no end.

It had been raining and Bellatrix looked an absolute mess. She was soaked, her normally well-manicured hair was stuck to her face and neck like wet, black yarn. Her eye makeup – whether it had been eyeliner, eyeshadow or both Andromeda was unsure given how messed up it was – was smeared all over her face. It was streaked down her cheeks like she’d been crying, but she was clearly not sad in any way. She was grinning like a mad woman.

“Mum and Dad don’t know I was out – let me in?” Bellatrix knocked on the window again.

Andromeda jumped up, and ran over to her. As she threw the glass open, she offered her hand to Bellatrix to help her get into the room safely. Bellatrix took it with a nod and crawled it. She was so wet that holding her hand felt like she was holding a frog.

“Where the fuck have you been Bella?” Andromeda asked, withdrawing her hand and wiping it on the curtains.

“Out.” Bellatrix said simply, shaking her head like a dog and sending water droplets all over Andromeda’s room. Lovely.

“No shit, where?”

“Have you and mother switched bodies Andy?” Bellatrix teased. She hiked her skirt up and pulled her wand out of the garter holder she had for it. Someone, the card was not signed, had given it to Bellatrix for Christmas and she’d been wearing it ever since. Clearly Bella knew who the sender was, but she would not tell anyone else. Their parents had not been happy. Andromeda just rolled her eyes; it was such an unnecessary thing but Bellatrix absolutely adored it.

“I’m just interested!”

“If you must know” Bellatrix rolled her eyes, “I’ve been at a party, with Rod and Alecto, few others.” She twizzled her wand around, and used a silent charm to dry herself off. Her hair went from wet yarn to freshly blow-dried poodle as she had put a bit too much heat into the spell.

Andromeda pressed her lips together, disapprovingly. She did not like Bellatrix’s friends.

Alecto Carrow was just a nasty person – she and Andromeda had actually gotten into a fist-fight last year when she had called Ted a mudblood on a Hogsmead trip. This had caused a bit of a schism within Slytherin and it was still going on now, after Alecto had graduated.

Rodolphus Le-Strange – Bellatrix’s boyfriend – was just as obsessed with this ‘Lord Voldemort’ conspiracy as Bellatrix was. Truly a match made in heaven, Andromeda thought dryly. She’d liked him when they’d first met, Rodolphus was a natural comedian, but he had become a follower of Bellatrix, and Bellatrix had led him down some dark paths. It was a shame, really.

“Where?” Andromeda wondered whether this had something to do with how she’d been acting recently. If this party was at Malfoy Manor, Andromeda would consider all of her suspicions confirmed. She wasn’t sure what she would do with this information, but Andromeda wanted to be proved right. 

“Not telling.” Bellatrix laughed, sitting down on Andromeda’s bed. “A lady must be allowed her secrets. Is mum still making a fool of herself over Cissa?” She changed the topic so quickly that Andromeda was sure she was onto something, but there was no getting through Bellatrix when she didn’t want to talk. She just let it go, for the moment.

“Yeah, I got kicked out.”

“Talk about premature” Bellatrix rolled her eyes “I bet you 15 galleons they’re broken up within the month.” She kicked off her shoes and crossed her legs on the bed. At least she took her shoes off.

“Alright – you’re on.” Andromeda laughed, sitting back down in front of her mirror. “I actually want to be paid this time.”

“Ok you only won that one about the booze on a technicality, it doesn’t count.”

“Pina coladas have rum in them, it’s not a technicality!” Andromeda argued. She wanted the 5 galleons she was owed.

“Right, I’m not even going to talk about that right now.” Bellatrix said, shaking her head. Probably for the best, they didn’t need to get into another argument about that. They’d already hashed it out before. “Where’s Dad?”

“In his office.”

His office was next to Bellatrix’s room, and he never shut he door so as to keep an eye on what was happening outside. She’d get caught immediately, and questioned about where she’d been. 

“Dammit. Can I chill here a minute?” Bellatrix asked, but Andromeda was sure she’d stay there even if she said no. Andromeda didn’t mind – they hadn’t had much time to talk since she came back from Hogwarts, and this term had been the longest time that she hadn’t seen her older sister since Bellatrix went off to Hogwarts the year before Andromeda did.

They were in an odd situation really. It’s a terrible feeling to love someone so much yet abhor all of their actions. On one hand, Andromeda knew that if she was ever hurt Bellatrix would ride a war path to protect her, and she would do the same for her. On the other hand, well, her sister was one of the worst people she knew. She loved her, but she hated her: the reconciliation of those two emotions was almost too much to bear.

“Fine. Chocolate frog?” Andromeda fished a couple out of her boudoir and offered it to her sister. Bellatrix’s eyes lit up and she grinned at the sight of it.

“Ooh please!”

Andromeda chucked it over to her, and pulled one out for herself. She overshot it a bit and it was about to soar over Bellatrix’s head. With the skill of the fastest seeker, Bellatrix’s hand shot up. She caught it without even looking at it. Andromeda had to give her a little round of applause, which Bellatrix mock bowed to in good humour.

They were quiet for a few moments, each opening her own frog. Andromeda’s did a disappointing jump, then fell quite limp in her hands. Oh well. She pulled out her card, only to be greeted with the smirking face of Albus Dumbledore. Dammit – she already had him.

“Who’d ya get?” Andromeda looked up from her own to see Bellatrix was already eating her frog.

“Herpo the foul – again.” She said, after taking the time to swallow her bite. She turned the card around to show Andromeda the snarling, bloody face of the dark wizard. His caricature was scrabbling at the card, as if he wanted to escape.

Andromeda’s face fell into an expression of disgust.

“Why do they put dark wizards in these things?” She said, more to herself than Bellatrix, whom she knew would have an argument for them. She always did.

“Why not?” Bellatrix said, just confirming Andromeda’s previous thought.

“…um because they’re mostly murderers – and very immoral.” Not that Bellatrix cared about any of those things. This was the girl who – famously – tripped a first year Gryffindor student down five flights of stairs because he’s accidently stepped on her foot in the crowded corridor.

“Eh, what are morals?” Bellatrix shrugged. “They’re all subjective. And some murders are legitimate.” She pointed at Andromeda when talking about legitimate murders. She was just gesticulating to make her point, but that didn’t mean getting pointed at while her, frankly deranged, sister talked about ‘good murders’ was a fun experience for Andromeda.

“I worry about you.” Andromeda shook her head, sounding so tired.

“What? Are you saying that a woman killing her abusive husband isn’t legitimate? Or getting revenge for the death of a loved one? Or putting someone out of their misery?” Bellatrix was arguing like she was in a debating club not talking about actual human tragedies. It sounded like it was just a hypothetical to her.

“All of those are very dependent on the specifics of the circumstances.” For Merlin’s sake – the black and white thinking Bellatrix always seemed to show around her was downright dangerous. If that ‘Lord Voldemort’ person was actually real, Andromeda was genuinely worried about her future.

“See – you can’t deny it!” Bellatrix exclaimed, like she had won. Andromeda just shook her head.

“I am not co-signing your power delusions: you don’t get to choose who lives and dies Bella.”

She huffed a little in laughter.

“Not yet anyway.” Bellatrix said, ominously.

“You are not a god – wait…” what she had said just processed in Andromeda’s head, and she had to stop. “What do you mean ‘not yet’?”

“Ah nothing.” Bellatrix waved a hand, trying to move passed the situation again. “I’m a bit pissed.” She said, as if being drunk makes you say things that aren’t true. That is not the case – intoxication does not make you say bollocks, just makes you more likely to say the bollocks that was already in your head. They do call it the social lubricant after all. “As you said – delusions of grandeur and all that.”

“Bella – are you one of them?” She didn’t need to say who ‘them’ was. Everyone knew the urban legend. The deatheaters: stupid name but Andromeda not underestimate the power of bigoted people with a power-complex. She wasn’t sure whether it was a real thing, but that doubt was killed by the look of hate that suddenly crossed Bellatrix’s face.

“Are you still seeing that mudblood?” She snarled.

“Don’t call him that!” Andromeda shouted, jumping to her feet.

“Take that as a yes.” Bellatrix said, with superiority in her tone.

“And I take that slur as a yes!”

“Look just keep your nose out of it – it doesn’t concern you!” Bellatrix hissed, dangerously.

“My sister becoming a domestic terrorist does concern me actually.” Andromeda could barely keep the rage out of her voice. How could she? HOW COULD SHE!? “Both for your sake and everyone else’s!”

“Ah so you admit I’d be a fantastic terrorist.” She sounded like she was proud, like it was a brilliant compliment. There was a laugh in her voice.

“It’s not funny Bella.”

“Yes it is.” Bellatrix insisted.

They fell into a tense silence. Andromeda knew she should be astonished about this, but she just wasn’t. She wasn’t shocked that Bella would go down this path. She wasn’t shocked at all.

“Have you met **Him**?” Quietly, Andromeda asked, not sure if she ever wanted to know the answer, but the curiosity of whether the stories were true or not was too much to not ask.

“Why, you interested in joining?” Bellatrix joked.

“Of course not!” Andromeda said, disgusted. “I would assume joining the deatheaters would involve meeting their leader!” Her voice was raising. There was a look of horror on Bellatrix’s face, but it was not about the idea of domestic terrorism.

“Sshh. Father!” Bellatrix hissed, pointing in the direction of their father’s office. Deciding to play along, she wanted to know more about what she’d been up to, Andromeda quietened down a bit.

“Ok – have you met him?” She asked, looking to the door and then back to Bellatrix. She smirked, superior in the knowledge that she had over Andromeda.

“Yes, I have.”

“Is it true he’s inhuman?”

Oh, the stories Andromeda had heard! She’d heard he’d disfigured himself. That he’d become serpentine – closer to beast than man. She’d heard that he was the devil himself.

Bellatrix shook her head. The look of her face scared Andromeda to her core. It was a dreamy look, a look of longing. It was the same look she’d seen on Bellatrix’s face when she was crushing on Rodolphus. The same look that Narcissa had every time Lucius was mentioned. The same look Andromeda knew she sported when she was thinking about Ted.

“He’s divine – not inhuman.” Bellatrix sighed, as if she was lost in a perfect daydream. “Completely divine.”

“You’re disgusting.” Andromeda spat, shaking her head. She was filled with dread.

“And you’re a bloodtraitor, so who’s winning really?”

“Me – definitely me.”

“Well, we’ll see, won’t we?” Bellatrix said, dangerously. She got to her feet, and chucked the packet from the chocolate frog into Andromeda’s waste basket. It was for paper, not plastic, so Andromeda would have to go fish it out in a moment. Bellatrix didn’t care. “Thanks for the chocolate, Andy. Sleep well.” She sniffed a little, and headed for the door.

“Make good choices Bella.” Andromeda said, as Bellatrix had her hand on the doorknob. Before she left, she turned and looked Andromeda up and down. Andromeda did the same. She took in Bellatrix’s hair and face, so similar to her own, yet so much crueller. She wondered what Bella thought of her, as they locked eyes. It probably wasn’t anything good.

“Always.” Bellatrix nodded, opened the door, and stepped out into the warm light of the hallway. Andromeda heard her father’s voice calling out to Bellatrix, asking her to come into his office.

“Night.” Andromeda said, miserably, as Bellatrix walked off. This holiday could not end soon enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Well that was fun to write from a different POV. I think I will write as Andromeda again in the near future.


End file.
